1860 Army Blackhawk

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Front sights on all the rugers is silver brazed on...except for somma the single sixes and etc which are screwed on. Dovetailing the 44s and 45s is pretty much out since ruger uses the same barrel dia. The 44 and 45 can be drilled and threaded but its also a tough job to get at least 2.5 to 3 threads for good strength, needs good taps and a good tap jig.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Final fitting and sanding is done. What you can't see right now....and I'll show it later, is a wood block inside the grip at the backstrap. Serving mainly as a catch block for the trigger return spring legs....should they ever slip out they will be impinged by the filler block and unable to drop down....trigger function gaurenteed. Second purpose is to form a wood sammich up top where the wood is a bit thin and down to the edge of the grip screw....ya can sinch it down a bit tighter without bowing the wood. However, this wood is so hard and dense that I doubt it will ever bend or crack and it sure sands nice. Best smoothest worn out 220g finish I ever saw on a hunk o wood. 400g would likely result in a polish.

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Inside loop is done and I left the grips slightly proud of the steel frame and the bottom edge of the trigger guard (and a bit all around too). Room to refinish later and allows for a bit of a rounded edge, less likely to chip or splinter with use.

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I made the bottom dead flat instead of flat with up facing bevels like the 1860 Army Colt wood grips.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
I decided I like the urethane finish best, the amber tone leaves a touch of the red and brings out some of the golds in the wood. So the first double coat rubbed in hard till its nearly dry.

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At this point, should be able to put 5 or so coats, hand rubbed with 0000 steel wool after drying each time and a final rub out with fff and then waxed....a day or two of occasional work.

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From there, I spect the final steps will be to complete the bluing and get it together for final function tests and then off to the range for performance tests.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Ya should hold this thing. As good as the Lightning points, this lines up better. First handgun I ever owned where the barrel is exactly in line with the inner bone of my forearm.....both the bone and barrel are in the same axis pointing dead forward. This, moreso than the fat factory grips on the Blackhawks, should be an awesome and accurate one hand pointer.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Thanks. Still waitin on the holster though. Its a lined crossdraw Tom Threepersons, Frontier carved and a thumb strap. I think it takes about 6 or more weeks to get it stitched and carved. Hopein its all in and together and sighted well before Dad rolls in the afternoon of 29 October.

I'm tryin to decide what to do with the long tom 45 colt that just rolled in. Jes clean it or work it over. Can't really decide at this point so I'm letting it sit. Don't want or need a 45 colt but the price was okay so.....here it is!
 
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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
The colors don't come out well under florescent light. But outside its not only red but iridescent and the reds and golds shift left and right across the wood like a kids holographic toy. You can see the colors shift under the indoor lights too but more of a red tinted brown and gold. Very cool effect.

Here, on the inside....the toe block I described above. Not only to serve as a back up foot for the trigger return spring legs but as a stiffener for the grip panels. A dollop of glass bedding to secure it in place and a simple snug fitting nail (into drilled holes so there are no splits) to hold position until the glass kicked over. Once the glass kicks, the nail is pretty much superfluous.

I'll check fit once more at final assembly but as you see from the spring travel lines, the mainspring will be unencumbered and the trigger spring legs will ride up into the brass backstrap just at or above the retention block.

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Gonna start getting some sealer on the inside and the 4th coat of finish on the outside. Probably 2 to 4 more coats will finish the grip panels....likely tomorrow night or Friday AM.
But before that, I labeled the right inner panel 1860 Style Army Colt Grip + 1974 Ruger and my initials and the build date on both inner sides.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
I'll get outdoor photos when the bluing is done...that'll show the true color but for now. Finished polishing my wood. Each dry coat (6 total) is lightly knocked level with 0000 steel wool. The final coat is wooled than rubbed to a satin glow with Brownells fff compound. If you want a high gloss, follow up with Brownells fffff or even motorcycle windshield and visor polish.

Rubbing compound on.....

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Hard to describe the feel and look of hand rubbed finishes. Totally smooth, soft to the touch and a warm look. The wood is not like the polished spray on types which to me look like wood under glass.

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Finished out the screw length so its below the level of the wood.

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The other side and back....it seems Brownells fff does a passing quick job removing sanding scratches from brass and bringing up a bit of initial shine there too. Discovered a new use for this great polishing compound....betcha it'd be dandy on a Stainless Mod 60 that's been just absolutely torn up finish wise by daily carry in a rock hard and abusive Blackhawk Serpa holster. I gotta get me a leather El Paso, hand carved no doubt for that Lil Best Buddy of a Smith.

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At this angle, the wood tone has shifted holo style....the front and rear are light when normally they are dark red. Change the angle of the gun to the light and the dark light bands ripple back and forth across the grain....kinda neat to sit here sippin Woodford an getting mesmerized by the effect.

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Here at this angle, the front starting to darken up again....keep turning it against the light source, back and forth like the old timey bands of color that shifted across movie screens.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
I am now advised the color shifting effect in the wood is called chatoyancy....Cats Eye, prevalent in some minerals. So, the wood is like a fancy rock.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Woo Wee...will wonders never cease.....biddin on a ron power stainless 2 piece colt grip frame for ruger blackhawks. $250 but only $83 right now. Crossin fingers. I won't go over $100 cause ruger stainless birdsheads can be had for $100.

And, Woo Wee, getting a feelin the house may get a contract this weekend or early next week and if so I can roll in my offer on the house back the 1 mile dirt road on 20 wooded acres surrounded by hundreds of wooded acres. I figger 20 acres'll prolly hold up to 6 Deer Condominiums! Soon, soon, a retirement fastness and no more open deer stands with wet seats!
 
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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
The whole thing gets worked over with the jitterbug and 120g first. Frame to grip is now mated, most pits gone, lettering sharp and clear, etc. This makes a fine mat finish as is. But, it'll be a bit nicer with just a bit more work.....evening out the 120 finish on the reflective areas and going over all the sides in a wire brush finish. The color and tone will be about the same, its just easier to wire brush the crazy side contours on a revolver and bootstrap or sand/polish other large areas.

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Sides are wire brushed to remove and blend the 120g leveling work on the sides. The top strap is hand sanded with 100g lengthwise to make a nonreflective surface and get all the polishing marks (since its a coarse grit) all in the same direction. The barrel is bootstrapped with good old 120g around its circumference. Ready for a wipe down and some rust.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
First coat of rusting agent is put on wet. All subsequent coats will be nearly dry. First coat sits 1 hour then gets a dry coat and a 2 to 3 hour sit and then the first boil and carding.

After that, dry coats and 3 to 24 hour sits with dry coats every few hours to deepen the color. The steel should move from silver to grey to deep grey black and no spotting.

All the steel was cleaned with alkyhol prep wipes and dried on clean paper towels in preparation for the first spot free treatments. Keep your hands clean and a barrier like paper towels between them and the steel from here on out. No oils at all or spots and you then strip back to bare steel and start over.

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Good temps and humidity. If all goes well, this gun should be completely blued and soaking in oil/grease in 3 to 5 days with at about 5 trips thru the boiling pot.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Won the auction....Looks like the grip style decision on the 45 Colt is made....Colt, Stainless and $150 less than new cost for a new item. Unless I decide the 45 colt's not for a project but rather for a swap or sale... in which case I'll find another Blackhawk for this one.

Powers Old Model 2 piece Colt Grip for New Model Ruger/Vaq/SSix, etc...

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
A great first rust. Should boil up a medium or darker grey or even black and should be very even and without spots or bare areas.

5.1" barrel just fits in my boiling pot. Add good clean tap water and boil for 15 to 20 minutes.

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Just out of the boil, blown dry with a heat gun so every nook and hole is totally dry and there will be no spots. Loose oxides look fluffy and will be carded away with 0000 steel wool leaving just the hard finish in place.

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Rubbing out the barrel first, loose oxides off and the first trip thru the rust and boil is a great success. Very dark grey black and totally spot and streak free. Now if I can just keep my fingers off the steel for 4 to 6 more treatments it'll be great.

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All carded and cooling a bit till I'm ready for the next dry wipe of rusting solution....looking very nice and I think this one is going to blue easy and well. So, two blackhawks blued now by rusting processes....seems they rust well and easily.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Second boil and continued steller results. Black and black and more black.

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This is only the second cycle and already very black. The finish is very fine grained and coming along quickly. This is after second boil and second carding...just looking over the metal and its coloring.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
I've rusted the gun six times. Its showing signs that it's not going to darken further. The oxides after boiling are much tighter and beginning to show silver and red flecks, which I've always taken as a queue that more application of rust producer, boiling and carding will not continue the job forward in any appreciable manner. It's already quite dark and pretty, it appears to be spot and streak free as well. Sitting and rusting once or twice more this morning and we'll see after lunch today.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Final assembly and functional prechecks after lunch. Bluing the "Unblueable" Ruger Blackhawk is going along like a Fat Kid with a "Eat Free Hotdogs and Chili Tater Tots Forever Card" at Sonic. I'd say that as far as generating rust, the Blackhawk falls into the easy category....Marlin 336 mag tubes and Win 94s are the doable tuffies but the Blackhawk?....Piece-o-cake. Sure gonna be a dayumsite prettier than Rugers typical factory purple on about 50% of the Blackhawks they make.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Fresh off the final boil and carding. A light spray of oil rubbed in while still a bit warm.....

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Front of barrel was degreased, gib lock installed and hit with Loctite blue, a dollop of acraglas under the front and rear of the ramp and the ramp screwed into place. Once that was done, the front fire bead was pushed into place with a site pusher. In addition, a new 8x40 front stud (remember, fixin the ejector rod housing from Story required nut and stud vice the factory bolt) is installed tight in the barrel with blue locktite and then carefully filed to final length.

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The rear sight is installed in the now flattop frame and both it and the ejector assembly checked for function. So far, so good.

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With all the guts cleaned, lubed and installed, the trigger group can be installed on the frame. The mating of 1860 Army Colt to 1974 Ruger Blackhawk is a perfect fit.

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Now the backstrap is installed and the trigger spring legs placed in their holes in the strap. Full function test at this point indicates full function, no issues.

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The right side grip panel with its stop block is installed.....then the left go's on and I do more function tests and perhaps some completion photos before getting it to the range next week.

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Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
As promised, the Booger photos first. Mistakes, things I fumbleditzed on the project, unforeseen challenges that didn't get over come.

Left side grip panel, not quite square and true to the frame. I still have plenty of time and will probably go back with a skim coat of glass bedding to fix this area up and prevent future panel movements.

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A bit of overzealous filing to the left, and an air bubble in the casting exposed at right. I'll probably fill the air bubble with a touch of clear epoxy with brass filings mixed in for some color.

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Managed to mark the barrel at final assembly. This will need touch up to blacken it.

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The gap between the Bisley Hammer and the Colt Army backstrap as mentioned in prior posts. This, like the left grip panel gap is the least noticeable of the flaws. Not fixable unless I go back and solder a brass plate on the top of the strap and then countour it back down. I think I'll leave this one alone and simple work on correcting the first three Boogers (and any tweeks that may show themselves as needed on function test day).

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lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
Excellent work. I know that is a LOT of hours work. It is a shame you can't do that type of thing for income but I don't know many people who could afford what it is really worth.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
I kinda gave up on makin a profit outta gun work long ago. No mill or lathe or hot tanks and the time really eats into the budget, plus....ya have to do it the way the customer wants! The profit these days is the pleasure of the doing....and maybe also seein Dad clang a few dozen steel gongs or maybe a fat juicy doe.

I'll get it to the range and with luck, before Dad comes down, I come up yer way (late aug / early sep) and me and you can bust some soda cans and flimsy cardboard invaders with the 1860 and the Ligntning. Funny how both Rugers wound up with Colt grips!
 
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Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
That turned out really nice. I reallly like the way the grips look with that frame, very unique and showy.
Thanks for letting us follow this build.
 
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